The present invention is related a safety device for a vehicle comprising front and side facing brake lights which alert a crossing motorist or pedestrian that the oncoming vehicle is applying the brakes.
The use of lights to indicate the intentions, or actions, of the operator in a motor vehicle are well know. Brake lights and turn signals are now common place on vehicles. Of particular interest for the present invention are brake lights.
There is little argument that the utilization of brake lights severely limits the number of accidents. Particularly, brake lights on the rear of a vehicle alert following operators that the vehicle brake is engaged. The operator of the following vehicle can then also apply the brake thereby reducing the likelihood that the vehicles will collide.
A large number of collisions between vehicles, or between a vehicle and pedestrian, occur at intersecting roads. It is not uncommon for a vehicle to travel through a stop signal while either totally ignoring the signal or attempting to get through the intersection prior to cars entering the intersection from a different direction. This is especially a problem when other cars at the intersection assume that the cars approaching the intersection are applying the brakes. Unfortunately, the application of the brakes is not easily determined from the front of a vehicle.
Yet another problem is associated with pedestrians attempting to cross at an intersection. It is common practice to await the appearance of a red signal light for approaching vehicles prior to crossing the intersection. If, however, a vehicle does not stop the pedestrian may step into the street and be struck by the vehicle crossing through the intersection.
There are other examples where a person, or vehicle, may incorrectly interpret the actions of an approaching vehicle and stray into the path of the approaching vehicle only to be struck by the vehicle. If these types of collisions could be eliminated, or even mitigated, the number of injuries and fatalities occurring by vehicle traffic would diminish.
One approach to solving this problem is the use of a forward facing brake, or indicator, light. Descriptions of this approach are many.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,553,959 to Pirkey describes a stop signal which may be readily visible to drivers in the front and back of the vehicle. It is apparent to even a casual observer that the utilization of front brake lights has not been considered useful in the approximately 80 years since the issuance of the Pirkey patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,364,284 to Dankert describes a speed controlled signal system which indicates the drivers actions. Not only does the system of Dankert provide information regarding a stop but also the change in speed of vehicle. The complexity of the lighting system has never reached widespread acceptance.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,358, issued to Davis, describes a forward facing brake light which is attachable to a rear view mirror. Among other problems the reflection of the light may be a distraction to the driver. Furthermore, in many vehicles the upper portion of the windshield glass is tinted to act as a sun shield. This sun shield would limit the ability of a person forward of the vehicle to easily distinguish the light. If the light is lower than the mirror it would obscure the visibility of the driver which has obvious bad consequences.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,691 describes a brake light system for the front of a vehicle which utilizes LED""s. The device is easily attached to the grill of a vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,966,073 describes a combination brake/turn signal light. The complicated utilization of various color schemes has not reached wide spread acceptance.
The prior art all considers the same general solution to the problem of alerting the intentions of the driver to observers forward of the car. In general, the prior art adapts a light, like the rear brake light, to the front of the vehicle in some fashion. This application has never materialized into widely accepted practice.
While not restricted to any theory, applicants submit that part of the lack of utilization of forward facing brake lights is that the lights, contrary to the wide held belief in the art, could create additional hazards. For example, when a vehicle approaches an intersection the light may transition from green to amber to red. It is not uncommon for an operator to initially attempt to stop, or slow down, by applying the brakes momentarily thereby illuminating any brake indicator lights on the vehicle. After applying the brakes it is not uncommon for the operator to realize that the distance required for stopping exceeds the distance to the intersection and the operator then lifts the brake and coast, or accelerates, through the intersection. If an observer, pedestrian or other vehicle operator, sees the brake light illuminate they assume that the vehicle will stop and proceed into the intersection. The operator of the approaching vehicle may then enter the intersection after the aborted stop and collide with the pedestrian or other vehicle. In this unfortunate, but realistic, scenario the intentions of the operator provide a false indication thereby increasing the likelihood of a collision due to the aborted stop.
There has been a long felt desire in the art for an apparatus which can alert an observer of the intentions of a vehicle operator to stop the vehicle. There has been an even greater desire to provide such an indication without providing false indications which may be worse, in many situations, than no indication. The present invention provides a novel approach to the problems described herein at a reasonable cost.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety feature for a vehicle which is capable of decreasing the number of collisions between vehicles and between vehicles and pedestrians.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a forward facing brake light which decreases the occurrence of false indications of operator intentions.
A particular feature of the present invention is the incorporation of a delay period between the time the brake mechanism is engaged and the time the front light is illuminated.
Another particular feature of the present invention is the simplicity and the ability to utilize the invention in existing vehicles or to incorporate the invention in cars during manufacture.
A particular advantage is the economical implementation of the present invention.
These and other objects, features and advantages will be realized from the description wherein provided is an accessory brake light system for a vehicle comprising a secondary brake light attached to a front of said vehicle. A power source is provided for supplying power to a primary brake light. The primary brake light is attached to the rear of the vehicle. A switch connects the power to the primary brake light when the brake is engaged by an operator which causes the primary brake light to illuminate. A delay mechanism is provided which is capable of determining a delay period after the brake is engaged and the power is connected to the secondary brake light after te delay period thereby illuminating the secondary brake light.
Yet another embodiment is provided in an accessory brake light system for a vehicle. The vehicle comprises a front, a rear, a brake engagement switch and a brake light attached to the rear which illuminates when the brake engagement switch is activated. The system comprises a secondary brake light attachable to the front of the vehicle. A delay mechanism capable of determining a delay period is provided. When the brake engagement switch is activated the delay period passes prior to the secondary brake light illuminating.
Yet another embodiment is provided in an accessory for attachment to a vehicle. The vehicle comprises an electrical circuit comprising a brake engagement switch and a power source. The accessory comprises a couple attachable to the circuit. A secondary circuit is connecting to the couple and to a brake light wherein the brake light is attachable to the front of the vehicle. A delay mechanism is provided which is capable of delaying illumination of the secondary brake light for a delay period from when the brake engagement switch is activated.